Finding the Distance and Midpoint between Two Points

• Distance formula:

• The distance formula is an application of the Pythagorean Theorem, which states that the hypotenuse of a right triangle
equals the square root of the sum of the other sides squared.
• Midpoint formula:

• The midpoint formula determines the point in the middle of the line segment formed by 2 points.

Draw your given line segment first.

Then draw a vertical line from one end and a horizontal line
from the other end. This creates a right triangle.

The length of the triangle’s horizontal side can be found by

taking the difference of the two x-values because they measure
horizontal movement.

The length of the vertical side can be found by taking the

difference of the two y-values because they measure vertical
movement.

Now, using the Pythagorean Theorem,

(first side)2 + (second side)2 = (hypotenuse)2.
. So,

Now that you know the formula, just substitute in the values
from each point and solve for your length.

It doesn't matter which point is identified as (x1, y1) and (x2,

y2).

In this case (6, 4) is (x2, y2).

Finding the midpoint of a line segment means finding the

average between the two endpoints:

Add the x-values and divide by 2.

Add the y-values and divide by 2.

These answers are the ordered pair of your midpoint.

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